Framed menu from the SS Llanstephan Castle I saw in a pub on the Isle of Wight last week.

This was difficult to photograph due to the glass reflecting the lights in the pub but you can make out what was on the menu, interestingly it is written in French, shame that it is not dated.

The SS Llanstephan Castle was a Union Castle line vessel that was built in 1914. She was just over 500ft long, GT 11,348 had four holds and accommodated 213 First Class, 116 Second Class, and 100 Third Class passengers.

As soon as she was delivered she departed London on her maiden voyage to East and South Africa. During her second voyage on the homeward sailing, a report came to the captain that the German cruiser “Konigsberg” was in the vicinity and the ship was turned around. Upon arrival in Durban Union-Castle transferred her to the London, South African West coast service.

In 1917 she was requisitioned for the war effort and placed in the North Atlantic transporting troops.

After the war she returned to the company and was made ready to return on the London, Cape Town service. In 1920 she was placed on the East African service. Another change took place in 1922 when she was transferred to the “Round Africa” service, visiting Naples or Genoa, Suez, Aden, Mombasa, Tanga, Dar-es-Salaam, Beira, Lourenco Marques, Durban and East London, Cape Town returning via West Africa.

In 1938 she received a refit and at the same time she was converted from coal to oil fuel saving a considerable amount for the company.

During the Second World War she first operated as a military troop transport ship for the Ministry of War. However in August 1940 she transported 300 evacuees from Liverpool to Cape Town the majority of which were children. A year later in 1941 she departed Liverpool in charge of a convoy and transported some 200 Polish airmen released from prison. She continued to operate in the Far East but was later transferred to the Royal Indian Navy.

After World War II she was returned to Union Castle Line who had her refitted turning her into a two class ship accommodating 231 First Class and 198 Tourist Class passengers. Upon completion she returned to her pre war round Africa service.

In March 1952 the aging Llanstephan Castle was withdrawn from service and sold to the British Iron & Steel Corporation who delivered her to J. Cashmore shipyards at Newport, Monmouthshire, Wales where she was broken up.

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My interest in ships and the sea started back in 2006 when I worked for a couple of years on the banks of the River Mersey. I have since been on a couple of cruises around the Med and in the Far East and have started to take more interest in researching and photographing some of the ships and other vessels seen on my travels.